Natural body building organisations have universally banned Anabolic Steroids

In this age when body building has become a competitive sport, crooked practice has become a means of gaining the glory using the least possible means. This has become even more pronounced following the ban of steroids, performance enhancement substances and human growth hormones. It is illegal in majority of countries to have any traces of such substances when participating in body building a contest or championship.

The demand is for natural body builders not giants pumped up by illegal and often times dangerous substances and hormones. As such, during contests and competitive events, body builders are being routinely tested through vigorous laboratory examination, for traces of any of the illegal substances and if found positive, their participation is nullified and also they are banned from participating in any future contests. Body builder’s substance abuse testing is normally done on impromptu urine samples.

However in most current contests, the less expensive method of a Polygraph popularly called the Lie Detector is used. Other forms of testing are also in practice all over the world especially in developed worlds where technology and advances in research has been exploited fully to curb those ingenious few who always beat ordinary test for the listed substances.

In essence therefore, what constitutes or qualifies to be a prohibited or illegal substance for the major international regulatory bodies or body building federations? Are there any substances currently listed as prohibited substances in body building competitions above those listed as illegal under drugs and substances laws of relevant national jurisdictions?

Natural body building organisations have universally banned Anabolic Steroids, Prohormine and Diuretics. Such natural body building national organizations for example, may include North American Natural Bodybuilding Federation (NANBF)) or the Natural Physique Association (NPA). Their maxim rests on the natural body builder’s assertion that body building should be focused on competition and a naturally healthy lifestyle unlike other sports.

According to these ardent loyalists of the sport, when substance abuse is allowed in body building, it overrides the sanctity of natural body processes. It commercialises the endeavour of developing body muscles and in so doing, glorifies those few who are willing to risk their health with dangerous substances at the expense of real athletes. It is therefore an aim to promote body building as a sport for healthy individuals exploiting the potential of their bodies.

Drug and substance abuse testing in body building is usually organized from the national or international level. The common practice is that the testing body commissioned by the jurisdiction’s sanctioning Federation or Promoter is the national anti-drug abuse entity. These national anti-drug or doping bodies are harmonised at the world level under the corporate auspices of the World Anti-Doping agency (WADA).

Contrary to expectation, body building testing for drugs and substance abuse is more organised however in Australia and New Zealand. Examples of such testing bodies concerned particularly with competitive body building include such examples as New Zealand Sports Drug Agency (NZSDA) and Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority (ASADA) formally Australian Sports Drug Agency (ASDA).